Understanding Proper Surgical Wound Care – Dr. Brian Evans

There are various types of surgical procedures. Of these, the more common are appendectomy, cesarean section, episiotomy, hysterectomy, and laparoscopy. In the area of plastic surgeries, breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, and liposuction are three of the most popular procedures today. During a surgery, the surgeon basically makes an incision on the area and after performing the necessary procedure, closes it off using various methods. The varying ways with which doctors close a surgical wound will now serve as the most important consideration in proper wound management.

Different Types of Wound Closures

With advancements in this area of medical practice, various technologies have been applied in closing off surgical wounds. In the old days, only sutures were used for this purpose, nowadays, doctors have also begun using clips, staples, and skin glue. Some of these may be used to close off the muscle tissues and the rest used to close off the skin layer. Depending on the wound, a doctor may also prefer using a combination of these. In case a doctor used staples or sutures, removing them should be painless, depending on the proper wound care you have performed.

Proper Wound Care

Post-operation, the wound will be covered by bandage to alleviate pressure and protect it from contaminants that could infect the wound. The surgical dressing is normally removed after the first day. Having a nurse or doctor remove the surgical dressing after the first day and checking if the wound looks like how it should is an important step in ensuring proper healing. This is also why it is important that the wound be kept clean and dry for the first 72 to 96 hours.

Afterwards, daily cleaning and bandage replacement must be performed as required. When doing so, one’s hands must always be washed with soap and water. The dressing must also be clean and contaminant-free-you want to keep the wound clean and not introduce things that could cause an infection. Depending on the wound closure, the doctor may also advice that daily bandage replacement be foregone as long as the area has been checked. In cases when the doctor used dissolvable sutures, ideally, these should gradually disappear from one to three weeks and minimal management could be performed in such a case. As for non-dissolvable stitches, these should be removed by the GP.

Problems and Other Concerns

The major problem associated with improper sound care is infection. Some of the tell-tale signs of infection include excessive pain in the affected area, blood or pus discharge, unpleasant odour, and swelling and extreme redness. If these are observed, contact your GP immediately and schedule an appointment. If a patient has diabetes, know that it could also affect the healing period he or she must undergo.

Another problem, although a minor one, is itching. In such cases the wound must not be scratched at all costs. If the itch proves to be too be unbearable, a doctor can prescribe a topical cream to alleviate the discomfort.

Understanding proper wound care is certainly the best way to ensure that any surgical wound heals well and on time.